A
- Asphalt
- An organic bituminous compound used in the manufacturing of composition shingles.
- Asphalt Roofing Cement
- Used to bond roofing materials. Also known as flashing cement or mastic.
- ASTM
- American Society for Testing of Materials. A voluntary organization concerned with the development of standards, testing procedures, and specifications. Many city building codes use ASTM standards.
B
- Base Flashing
- The portion of the flashing which is attached to, or rests on, the roof deck.
- Blend
- Mixtures of various colored granules on the surface of shingles.
- Blind Nailing
- Nails driven in such a way that the heads are concealed by succeeding layers of roofing materials.
- Blisters
- Bubbles that may appear on the surface of asphalt roofing.
- Bridging
- A method of reroofing where the new shingles follow the contour of the old roofing. Also called butting up. It is almost always preferable to tear off the old roofing.
- Built-Up Roofing (BUR)
- A flat or low-sloped roof made up of layers of asphalt and ply sheets. This type of roofing is not done much anymore and has been replaced with Modified Bitumen or TPO.
- Butt
- The portion of the shingle exposed to the weather. Sometimes called the tab of the shingle.
C
- Cant Strip
- A 45-degree beveled wood, fiberboard, or metal strip at the junction of the roof and a vertical surface, used to break a right angle. Primarily used in low sloped roofing.
- Cap Flashing
- Flashing on a vertical surface that prevents water from getting behind the base flashing. The cap flashing overlaps the base flashing. Also called counter flashing. Generally not changed in a reroofing job.
- Caulk
- A substance used to fill a joint or void. There is a wide range in both price and quality.
- Cement
- A substance that, when cured, binds two surfaces together.
- Class A
- The highest fire resistance rating for roofing per ASTM E-108. A shingle with this rating should withstand severe exposure to fire from sources originating outside the building. Other classes are B and C.
- Closed Valley
- When roofing materials cover the entire valley. Unless otherwise requested, Bert Roofing primarily installs closed valleys.
- Coating
- A layer of viscous asphalt applied to shingles in which granules are embedded.
- Collars
- Pre-formed flange placed over a vent pipe. Also called vent sleeve. Two types: lead jacks and rubber boots.
- Counter Flashing
- See Cap Flashing.
- Course
- A horizontal unit of roofing running the length of the roof.
- Cricket
- A small peaked saddle constructed on top of the basic roof and behind the chimney. A cricket is generally not required but is recommended on wider chimneys.
- Cupola
- A structure rising above the main roof. Usually ornamental, but may be used for ventilation.
D
- Dead Level
- A roof or section of roof without any pitch.
- Deck
- The material installed over the framing of a structure on which shingles are installed. The primary materials are Oriented Strand Board (OSB) and CDX Plywood.
- Double Coverage
- A method of applying roof shingles so that two complete layers of material are provided.
- Dormer
- A window unit projecting through the sloping plane of the roof.
- Drip Edge
- A metal strip used on eaves and rakes to allow for water runoff without damaging underlying materials. See our post on drip edge installation errors.
- Drip Course
- The first course of shingles that slightly overhangs the edge.
E
- Eave
- The horizontal edge of a roof that projects over the outside wall.
- Exposure
- The portion of the shingle that is exposed to the weather. Usually measured from the butt of one shingle to the butt of the next overlapping shingle.
F
- Flashing
- Thin pieces of metal or other durable material installed at joints, edges, and roof penetrations (such as chimneys, walls, skylights, and vents) to direct water away from vulnerable areas and prevent leaks. See how flashing protects your DFW roof.
I
- Impact Resistant
- Shingles or other roofing materials that have passed UL 2218 impact testing, which simulates hail by dropping steel balls from specific heights. Products are rated in Classes 1 through 4. Class 1 is the lowest impact resistance, Class 4 is the highest and is the standard most insurers care about for hail-resistant discount programs. See our impact-resistant shingle page.
L
- Lap
- The overlap of one roofing material onto another.
- Laminated Shingles
- Shingles containing more than one layer of tabs, creating extra thickness. Also called dimensional or architectural shingles.
- Lock Shingles
- Shingles with a mechanical locking feature. These are not common.
- Low Slope Application
- A method of applying shingles on slopes between 2 and 4 inches per foot.
M
- Mansard Roof
- A vertical portion of roofing.
- Mastic
- See Asphalt Roofing Cement.
- Modified Bitumen
- Rolled roofing membrane with a polymer-modified asphalt. The roll generally has a fiberglass or polyester mat for reinforcement.
N
- Nesting
- See Bridging.
- Normal Slope Application
- A method of installing shingles between 4 and 21 inches per foot.
O
- Open Valley
- A valley in which metal is exposed and roofing material does not cover the entire valley area, as it would in a Closed Valley.
S
- Saturant
- Asphalt used to impregnate felt for waterproofing and strength.
- Seal Down
- A factory-applied asphalt strip used to bond a shingle to the one above. Provides wind resistance.
- Sheathing
- Exterior-grade boards used as a roof deck.
- Side Lap
- A horizontal lap.
- Skirt Flashing
- A large, often single-piece flashing commonly found at the bottom of a dormer or addition.
- Slope
- The degree of incline of a roof plane. Usually expressed as a fraction rather than degrees. 2/12 is the minimum slope for shingles.
- Soffit
- The finished underside of an eave.
- Soffit Vent
- An under-eave opening needed for intake of outside air. Not part of a typical roofing job, but required for good attic ventilation.
- Soil Stack
- A vent pipe that penetrates the roof.
- Span
- The horizontal measurement from eave to eave.
- Spire
- A tower of roof tapering up to a point.
- Square
- A unit of roof measurement covering 100 square feet.
- Square Butt Shingles
- Generally three-tab 20-year shingles. Not laminated.
- Starter Course
- The first course of shingles installed on the roof. It sits under the first exposed row. Often these are 20-year three-tab shingles, used even when heavier laminated shingles are installed, so as not to create an awkward hump.
- Step Flashing
- Flashing along a roof slope against a wall or chimney, using succeeding courses of flashing material placed in conjunction with layers of roofing materials. Step flashing pieces are generally 4 by 4 by 8 inches.
T
- Tab
- The portion of a strip shingle defined by cutouts or slots so that when installed, the material appears to be individually applied.
- TPO
- Thermoplastic Polyolefin. A single-ply, heat-weldable roofing membrane, typically white and reflective. Used on low-slope roofs and made from polypropylene blended with EPDM rubber for durability and energy efficiency.
U
- Underlayments
- Asphalt-saturated felt or synthetic felt applied over the roof deck and under the roofing material. There is a wide range of quality and price.
V
- Valley
- The intersection of two roof slopes.
- Vent
- An outlet for air.
W
- Weathering
- Changes in color, texture, or efficiency brought about by exposure to outside elements.